Meaningful co-production to bring meaningful change: Developing the Allied Health Professionals Dementia Framework for Wales together

Abstract

In line with increasing participatory approaches to service and research design, there is a growing appreciation of the need to understand the lived experience of people accessing care and support, including people living with dementia, their carers and supporters. This article describes the process and value of co-production, used alongside principles of appreciative inquiry and evidence-informed practice, as an approach to developing a strategic workforce framework, aimed at increasing access to Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) for people living with dementia and their carers. Engaging in the co-production approach throughout the project lifecycle resulted in positive outcomes as reported by people with lived experience and professionals who were involved, as well as a published national framework that is rooted in the first-hand experiences of people living with dementia, their carers and supporters.